Survival Stories: How 4 Men Beat the Odds in Extreme Situations

Overcoming disaster is a matter of preparation, perseverance, courage and, sometimes, luck. If calamity strikes, whether in the form of an avalanche or a shipwreck, you can boost your odds for success with these lessons drawn from four real-life survival stories.

Avalanche

• Location: • Name: Expert Advice
If you're in an avalanche, there's a 50 percent chance you'll die. If you survive without major injuries but are buried, your chances of surviving go up to 90 percent, but only if you're dug out within 15 minutes. After that, it gets deadly quickly. Skiing solo? Chances are you'll die. So you need at least one partner, a locator beacon, a shovel and a probe. The No.1 survival tip: If you're in an area that has recently had avalanches, you're in dangerous terrain. Get out. "People become euphoric in the backcountry," says Mark Staples, an avalanche specialist at Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center.

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"They lose sight of danger. Snowpack changes daily, and a span of just 10 feet can have different conditions. We see people skiing on slopes right next to avalanche slides all the time."

The Black Diamond AvaLung II ($130) lets you breathe while buried in snow. It pulls in air through the snow and discharges CO2 out the back.